Where we challenge what you won't say or you don't know…yet

Archive for May, 2012

The first image that goes through your mind when you hear those words of, “mirror, mirror on the wall” is probably the evil queen from Snow White. While the Evil Queen was just that, evil, the mirror was not. The Magic Mirror spoke nothing other than the truth. As we know from the story the mirror tells the queen that she is the fairest in the land, until the day that Snow White becomes of age.

We are not here to discuss the story of Snow White or cover the classic tale of good versus evil. Instead we are here to look deeper into that mirror.

When you look into the mirror what question is it that you ask? Are you asking who is the fairest in the land? Are you asking where your hair has gone or where those strange new hairs came from? Are you asking what lies ahead for you or maybe you are asking what you did with all of those days that have already passed.

The questions are important and the answer is really what we are here to take a look at. As the Magic Mirror always did, your mirror does the same when it answers you. It answers you honestly.

When you ask the mirror about the spare tire around your midsection, it is your choices that helped that tire grow and your choice that keep the tire there.

When you ask for confidence or beauty, do you see a confident person or a beautiful person or are you not having that confidence in your beauty and seeing neither when you look at the reflection?

Stand up to that mirror and start getting the answers that you want!

You ARE confident
You ARE beautiful
You ARE unstoppable
You ARE all of that and more!
Now…believe it when you look into that mirror and that is the answer that will come back to you!

Are you willing to look into that mirror and ask the tough question? More importantly are you willing to hear the answers?

Chadalyst -What do you want to change the most? Go look into your mirror and let it know what is coming!

Have you ever heard the term, bucket list? It is a list of things to do before you die. The expression comes from the term “kicked the bucket.” Don’t worry this blog is not morbid, just stay with us…

Squirrel moment (that is a small distraction that doesn’t matter) It was also quite an entertaining movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as two terminally ill guys that follow their list of things to do before they die.

A bucket list is something you are told to create by many inspirational trainers, coaches and leaders. They ask you to do this to help you figure out the things that you want to do before you “kick the bucket.” While we hope that is no time soon of course, we also have no idea of when that will be. Do you?

Since you don’t know when you might reach the end, you have no idea of what to do with your bucket list.We think it is wonderful that you wish to cage dive with sharks or skydive or see Greece or write your book or whatever items made your list. The important question becomes, when should you start?

Right now!

Forget your bucket list and figure out what your carousel rings are.

Grab for your carousel rings

Carousel rings, for those of you that have no idea, are rings that were hung next to a carousel for the riders to attempt to grab as they went past on their horse. The rider would then toss the ring at a target while continuing around for their ride. If you were lucky enough to grab the brass ring from the group, you usually earned yourself a free ride.

How does this apply to you?

You might have this great bucket list as we mentioned already. It is filled with amazing things you are going to do….someday. You just hope that day will be before you run out of time.

These, carousel rings are the short-term goals that you are going to grab as you go past. Not your “someday” items that are on your bucket list. These are things you are going to do in the next 3-6 months!

What sort of things were on your bucket list that you really want to accomplish? Get them off your bucket list and make them carousel rings and don’t wait any longer!

Sit down to start that book. Set your appointment to jump from a plane. Reserve your trip to Greece. If you don’t do these things now…when will you?

You might never know when your time is up and you need to have finished the items on your bucket list. What you do know is that the music on the carousel is about to stop and you better grab those rings right away!

Chadalyst– Write out 2 Carousel Rings with timelines on when you will get them completed. Remember this is no farther out than 3-6 months. Book the reservation now, set the dates, or even better just get started! Post in the comments below what you are going to do and when so we can all share or post on the question on our Facebook page.

Sneaking through the dark shadows. Slipping into doorways and around corners. Willing others to not notice them as the secret agent attempts to complete their mission.

The secret agent goes through their day, their week, their life hoping nobody even notices them and that they can sneak in and sneak out without even being remembered.

Are you this secret agent?

Are you the type of person that sneaks to your job each day, does what you need to do and then sneaks out to return home?

Are you the type of person that outside of the office does your best to not get into the conversation about what it is that you do for a living?

If someone asks you what you do, how do you answer? With a quick short answer that changes the subject or do you straighten up tall and answer the question?

Do you love what you do or are you a secret agent in your life?

During a conversation with someone you are just meeting, what do you do for a living, will be a common question. The way you answer it will tell people a lot about you.

You can always give the routine answer…I’m a lawyer. I’m a real estate agent. I’m a mail carrier.
OR
Take it a step further and give an answer that will open the door to continued conversation, show you love what you do and make sure you are remembered and don’t become that secret agent.

I’m a lawyer becomes I get to help people settle some of the largest conflicts of their livesI’m a real estate agent becomes I work with population relocationI’m a mail carrier becomes I deliver good news and bad news to people all day long

Be proud of what you do and instead of being a secret agent be a super hero and let everyone see you coming.

Don’t worry, you do not need to wear the bright-colored skin-tight latex outfits (unless you really want to.)

Chadalyst -Take a moment and find an outragous way to describe what you do for a living.

We have all heard the joke before and there are many different answers for what that chicken is up to. Some guesses are funny, some you need to be a certain age to understand and some are just so off the wall that you might find yourself laughing uncomfortably.

It all comes down to this…we have no idea why that chicken does anything it does.

While driving home the other day there were chickens on the side of the road and one decided to make the mad dash across the street. Never thought I would live long enough to actually see a chicken cross a road. Even after seeing it for myself there is still no answer to the life long question of why did the chicken cross the road.

Nothing was chasing the chicken. There wasn’t anything more interesting looking on the other side of the road. Heck, two of the chickens stayed put while this one chicken made the run of a lifetime.

Will we ever know why the chicken crossed the road? Sadly, probably not.

This brings us to the even more important question, then why did the chicken cross the road.

Why do you do some of the things that you do?

That is a question that is being asked by many around you.

Most of the time you know why you are doing whatever that might be. You might believe it is for the opportunity to climb the corporate ladder. You think that it is a chance for you to be able to help others. Maybe for you it is to get the spotlight finally. Meanwhile, the rest of the world looks at you and wonders what you are doing and why you just did that.

You are that chicken!

Do you stop to explain everything you do or do you just find yourself doing things?

Do you ask for permission or ask for forgiveness?

Are you the chicken running across the road or are you the chicken that stays put? Which do you want to be? You can be whichever you choose to be. Just make a choice and get out of the middle of the road finally.

Don’t become the losing end of a chicken crossing the road joke. Stand firm once you make your choice and run for it!.

Chadalyst -What is something you have been putting off doing? Head down, don’t think of the traffic…just run for it!

Through this week we have been looking at how to refuel your life for free. In yesterday’s posting we looked at the fourth step in refueling your life. Make sure you check back to the first 4 steps (links posted below) as we continue to cover how you feel when you are running on empty and how you feel when your personal tank is filled.

Hopefully you have been following the Chadalyst posted at the end of each blog and you are already feeling better.

Now for the fifth and final suggestion in helping you increase your energy, remove your stress and refuel your life without the aid of a 5 Hour Energy drink.

It is now time for you to do something for you finally.

You are doing for everyone else in your life. Your family, your job and of course your customers. Our question is what are you doing for yourself?

Are you reading a book you enjoy for a few moments a day?

Are you having your lunch at the park on the bench and taking in some sun?

Are you calling a friend on the drive home and sharing in memories?

Are you seeing a movie you really want to watch?

Are you having the piece of chocolate cake you have been thinking about? Just remember step 1!

Any and all of these things are great places to start refueling your inner tank.

One of the things that you can really do for yourself is remind yourself how awesome you really are! You might think that sounds a little crazy and silly, remember it is all about your mindset on this one.

Positive affirmations will help you get your mind in the right place each and every day. You have heard this before, we know, and we are wondering why you are not yet doing this.

Create a positive affirmation that you can say out loud each day. Post your affirmation in your bathroom to read after your shower in the morning. Post your affirmations in your car so you say them each time you get in and out of your car. Post your affirmations any place you see on a regular basis. There are many you can find online if you can’t think of your own.
If it is ok I will share with you the one I say each and every day…

“I am a positive, patient and powerful, person, parent presenter and partner” (great alliteration don’t you think?) and I have a little dance that goes with it – did I just make a fool of myself in front of you? If I did, that is great as it means step 4 has been checked off for the day! Hope you are laughing with me and not at me as my fuel gage is rising!

You can have a full tank with just a few small changes in your daily routine and break up your status quo. We hope that this series has helped you fill up.

In yesterday’s posting we looked at the third step in refueling your life. Make sure you check back to step 1 and step 2 as we continue to cover how you feel when you are running on empty and how you feel when your personal tank is filled.

We have talked about the first three things that you can do to make sure that you start refueling you own life, for free, and they have been pretty basic so far.

Today we take a look at step 4, and one that is a little out in left field.

Make a fool of yourself.

The fourth way to refuel your life for free is a challenging one to most as we are usually so concerned about our outer image. Making a fool of yourself is no easy thing to do.

Now, we don’t want you to do anything crazy here, like fall down a flight of stairs or something that could really hurt.

Taking a moment to release the stress of being self conscious can make a big difference in your life and your energy levels.

When you remove the pressure you put on yourself to conform to the rules of society and avoid being the outcast, you will feel your energy return to you.

Laughter releases endorphins and this will help you to feel charged through your day. Laughter at your expense will make you feel worse, unless you are ready for it, planning on it and able to laugh along with it.

Go on and do something that you know will make everyone laugh at you and more importantly with you!

Follow along with this blog to get the next step in refueling your life.

Chadalyst– Wear something outlandish that you know will get a laugh. Be ready for the laugh and don’t worry if people think your outfit is out there. Just enjoy the fun of it!